Welcome to the weekend. These are interesting times. As the current joke goes, which queue are you on. The joke is becoming very stale because these queues are causing a lot of distress.
As an employer, there’s a good chance you have had to, and you will have to let workers go at some point in time. There is a way to make the experience as positive as possible for everyone involved. Outplacement can give you the opportunity to help these workers while protecting your company and reputation.
Also known as career transition services, outplacement is an employee-sponsored benefit provided to workers who have recently been laid off. The service is an option part of offboarding and is usually offered as part of a severance package and designed to help them smoothly transition to another position or industry. In most cases, it includes a variety of services, such as career coaching, interview training, job search advice to mention a few things.
Outplacement services can be provided in a one-on-one or group setting, in person, online or via phone. While you can choose an employee to offer outplacement internally, most companies partner with a third party that takes the services off their plate. This is up to you to determine which option makes sense for your company. I however advice smaller organization with limited resources to outsource their outplacement services.
Once you lay off employees, you will send a list of them to the outplacement provider. Then, your employees will be able to contact them for services. Typically, they will meet with a career coach who will explain how they can help. While most outpatient providers will allow former employees to take advantage of services immediately, some have a waiting period.
It’s important to understand that outplacement services do not source jobs or place former employees in them. Instead, they support former employees with the knowledge and training they need to overcome any challenges in finding a new job. They support them with various parts of the job search process and make job loss a bit less stressful.
Outplacement involves spending time and money on employees who are leaving your company. Why should you do this? Below are some benefits.
By investing in outplacement, you convey that you genuinely care about your employees. This can position your company in a positive light and make it easier to recruit and retain top talent down the road. In other words, outplacement can improve your reputation.
Being laid off can make employees feel frustrated or angry however if they know you will help them land another job, they will be less likely to engage in workplace violence or a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Layoffs can be uncomfortable for existing employees. If they know you’re offering outplacement services, however, they’ll be less anxious and more motivated to continue working hard for your company. So outplacement can increase staff morale
Outplacement helps former employees find new jobs faster than they would on their own. The faster they secure employment, the less they will need unemployment benefits. Some payments you would have otherwise made will be unnecessary thereby reducing your overall employee costs. Also you will be able to let go of people earlier as you have provided an alternative.
The most obvious downside of outplacement is that it will cost you. If you are a startup or newer company, you might not have the funds to cover these services. Also, your laid-off workers may be competing with their peers for the same jobs. In addition, unless your outplacement services are personalized, some workers might struggle to stand out in the job market and get the type of positions they desire.
Not all outplacement providers are the same. There are several differences between them. Each provider will offer there own set of services, which may include some or all of the following: One-on-one career coaching, Résumé writing and review, Job interview preparation and practice, Career interests and skills assessments, Job searching tools, Pay negotiation training, Networking advice, Digital presence and social media optimization and Entrepreneurial services.
Before you move forward with an outplacement provider, make sure you do the research. Read reviews and ask for references so that you know they are reputable. It is also well worth your time to check the background and experience of the staff.
If the provider uses a certain type of software or technology, test it in advance. In addition, inquire about services they may offer for current employees, such as retirement solutions and resiliency training. If possible, opt for an outplacement solution with personalized services rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. It should be flexible and let you pick and choose the offerings you value most.
Outplacement is an effective way to get former employees back to work after a layoff. If you choose a qualified internal staff member or provider, you will find that outplacement also benefits you as a company. You will protect your reputation, mitigate risk, boost employee morale and even save some money on unemployment costs.
I hope you have learnt a thing or two about how to treat staff you are laying off especially as it is so tough out there. Have a great weekend and we hope next week will be better.
